Articles about Coding

A new study from Backslash Security looks at seven current versions of OpenAI's GPT, Anthropic's Claude and Google's Gemini to test the influence varying prompting techniques have on their ability to produce secure code.

Three tiers of prompting techniques, ranging from 'naive' to 'comprehensive,' were used to generate code for everyday use cases. Code output was measured by its resilience against 10 Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) use cases. The results show that although secure code output success rises with prompt sophistication all LLMs generally produced insecure code by default.

Continue reading →

British software developer and international public speaker on software development, Martin Fowler once famously said: “Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.” His book on Refactoring has been a best seller for decades and is a guide on how to transform code safely and rapidly, helping developers build better code. Exactly these same principles should apply when looking to develop an API-first approach to software engineering.

But first, what do we mean when we talk about an API-first approach? This is a software development method that prioritizes the design of APIs before writing any other code, instead of treating them as an afterthought. This is different from the traditional approach, where the application code is written first, and the API is added later.

Continue reading →

As AI marks its stamp on every industry, the software development landscape is experiencing a rapid transformation driven by the integration of automation into coding practices. With approximately $1 billion invested in AI-driven code solutions since early 2022, we’re seeing a shift that goes far beyond just automation. This transformation is redefining the entire software development lifecycle and testing assumptions about what it means to be a developer.  

It is clear, as we embark at the beginning of a new era, that the future of coding does not reside in opposing change, but in adapting our approaches to education and practice in software development. 

Continue reading →

Software-driven digital innovation is essential for competing in today's market, and the foundation of this innovation is code. However, there are widespread cracks in this foundation -- lines of bad, insecure, and poorly written code -- that manifest into tech debt, security incidents, and availability issues.

The cost of bad code is enormous, estimated at over a trillion dollars. Just as building a housing market on bad loans would be disastrous, businesses need to consider the impact of bad code on their success. The C-suite must take action to ensure that its software and its maintenance are constantly front of mind in order to run a world-class organization. Software is becoming a CEO and board-level agenda item because it has to be.

Continue reading →

While AI is often touted as being the solution for all kinds of tasks, when it comes to developing software it seems that it may not always be improving things.

A new study from Uplevel suggests that today's GenAI-based developer tools don't tend to increase coding efficiency and can actually increase bug rates.

Continue reading →

Begin your programming journey with a comprehensive course designed to introduce you to the world of Java and algorithmic thinking.

The course starts by laying a solid foundation with an understanding of how computers work and an introduction to integrated development environments. As you advance, you'll delve into essential Java concepts, learning about variables, constants, and basic algorithmic concepts that are crucial for any aspiring programmer.

Continue reading →

Artificial intelligence is making its way into many areas of business and IT. Software development is just one area where it's starting to have a major impact on productivity and working patterns.

To learn more we spoke to Varun Mohan, CEO of AI coding assistant Codeium, which uses proprietary large language models (LLMs) to aid with software development and has recently announced a $65 million funding round.

Continue reading →

Although many people fear that artificial intelligence could put their jobs at risk, a new study from Jitterbit shows that many see AI as offering new skills and personal growth opportunities.

Based on a survey by Censuswide of 1,022 full-time office workers in the UK and US, the study looks at how workers really feel about AI and the findings reveal a positive views of working with AI technology in professional settings.

Continue reading →

A new report reveals a disconnect between those in the C-suite and their eagerness to adopt AI coding tools compared to those actually using them who are cautious of AI.

The research from Snyk shows CTOs and CISOs are five times more likely than developers to believe AI coding tools pose no risk and twice as likely than developers to believe they are 'extremely ready' to adopt AI coding tools.

Continue reading →

Coding with AI For Dummies introduces you to the many ways that artificial intelligence can make your life as a coder easier. Even if you’re brand new to using AI, this book will show you around the new tools that can produce, examine, and fix code for you.

With AI, you can automate processes like code documentation, debugging, updating, and optimization. The time saved thanks to AI lets you focus on the core development tasks that make you even more valuable.

Continue reading →

While Microsoft is keen on deprecating features and apps, it has also been engaged in injecting new life into legacy apps in recent years -- just look at how Paint has evolved, for instance. The company has also been slowly but surely updating another software stalwart, Notepad.

Having already added a tabbed interface, an auto-save feature and, of course, a dash of AI, Microsoft is a now set to add a spell checking. It does not end there, though. In addition to a highly customizable spell checker, there will also be an autocorrect feature -- and considerations have been made for developers and coders.

Continue reading →

A developer’s resource to learning one of the most-used scripting languages, JavaScript All-in-One For Dummies saves you shelf space by offering a complete introduction to JavaScript and how it’s used in the real world.

This book serves up JavaScript coding basics before diving into the tools, libraries, frameworks, and runtime environments new and experienced coders need to know.

Continue reading →

A new report from software engineering specialist LinearB looks at the effects of generative AI on code creation and delivery.

Gen AI is predicted to generate one in five lines of code by the end of this year and the study of over 150 tech leaders sets out to understand how organizations can measure the effects of Gen AI on their code.

Continue reading →

Adding some coding know-how to your skills can help launch a new career or bolster an old one. 

Coding All-in-One For Dummies offers an ideal starting place for learning the languages that make technology go. This edition gets you started with a helpful explanation of how coding works and how it’s applied in the real-world before setting you on a path toward writing code for web building, mobile application development, and data analysis.

Continue reading →

Code-agnostic development is the future of cloud-native applications. Sure, there are plenty of benefits to knowing a coding language inside and out, but the field is evolving beyond the requirements for deep language expertise. As low-code and no-code platforms abstract complexity, developers can focus on higher-level concepts. The ability to jump from language to language will make them more efficient and adaptable.

Software industries evolve by abstracting complexity of lower-level tasks. If done correctly, this leads to better user productivity and outcomes. This movement in development is fueling the new approach to languages, allowing development teams to operate successfully with coding knowledge a mile wide and an inch deep. The trend of multi-lingual developers will propel the industry into the future. Let's take a look at how these experts developed.

Continue reading →